PPB February 2019

| FEBRUARY 2019 | 43 GROW F rom small-town county fairs to massive multi-day festivals, people love coming together to enjoy their shared interests. Almost one-fifth of the U.S. population attends a festival of some kind each year, according to Billboard, with an estimated 32 million people going to at least one music festival a year. Fairgrounds around North America are hopping, too, with more than 2,000 fairs held annually, according to the International Association of Fairs & Exhibitions. Each year, thousands of festivals and fairs covering a range of interests attract millions of visitors in search of a good time. These fun-seekers are willing to travel for the experience. Nielsen reports that the average festivalgoer travels 903 miles to attend their festival of choice, which is nearly the equivalent of driving from New York City to Orlando. Festivalgoers and fair visitors are ready to attend—and spend. atVenu, a merchandise management platform, reveals that festivalgoers spend an average of $50 per transaction on merchandise. Billboard reports that nearly a quarter (23 percent) of attendees buy merchandise onsite. Fans want to commemorate their experience and promotional products provide a tangible reminder of the event. Few things can extend a brand’s festival or fair footprint like promotional products. They can help amp up excitement, add to the experience and provide a lasting memento. Whether handed out at booths, offered as an incentive with pre-sale tickets or sold as memorabilia in a merchandise tent, promotional products can get your brand in front of superfans and amplify your message. Market Snapshot When it comes to festivals, all is … well. Wellness festivals, where attendees may participate in mindfulness sessions, embark on nature hikes and browse souk-style markets for kombucha and hemp-infused oils, are rising as a growing trend. Over the past few years, wellness festivals have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S. alone. Almost every big city hosts an annual wellness festival, such as lululemon’s SeaWheeze festival and Weight Watchers’ MeFest. The global wellness market is worth $3.7 trillion—more than three times the worldwide pharmaceutical market— and wellness festivals comprise a significant and growing piece of this market. Jetsetters Ready to Jam One third of U.S. Millennials use music to choose a vacation destination, which is higher than the global average of 18 percent for the same age group. One in four say they would travel to a different country to see their favorite artist in concert. Source: TravelAgentCentral.com Here We Are, Now Entertain Us Average number of music festival attendees by genre: Alternative 38,000 Country 33,000 Rock/metal 22,625 Electronic dance music 19,000 Indie 11,875 Reggae 9,833 Average total gross merchandise sales by genre: Alternative $ 466,000 Rock/metal $ 313,000 Country $ 278,000 Electronic dance music $ 193,000 Reggae $ 104,000 Indie $ 103,000 Source: atvenu.com Top 10 Industries To Sponsor Music Festivals Wine and spirits Beer Retail Food Non-alcoholic beverages Media and publishing Banks Automotive Hotels and resorts Technology Source: IEG 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1